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Nelle Carter Orillia Woman of the Year nominees unveiled

Three high school students are also in the running for Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year Award; winners will be announced at June 14 gala
2023-05-21-women-of-the-year-nominees
These six women have been nominated for the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year award to be presented at a gala June 14. From left: Erin Abbott, Kim Kneeshaw, Madeleine Fournier, Miriam Goldberger, Montana Hassard and Nancy Sutherland.

The Orillia Business Women's Association (OBWA) is preparing for its 2023 Woman of the Year and Young Woman of the Year Gala Dinner and Awards Night on Wednesday, June 14. 

The OBWA was formed in 1987. This will be the 32nd year of celebrating the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year and the 18th year of the Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year.

The Woman of the Year award is given to a woman who is respected for her outstanding work in the community, in the workplace, at home or all three — but especially in the community.

The Young Woman of the Year must demonstrate high scholastic achievement, participation in extra school activities, and volunteer work in the community and must be seeking post-secondary education. The young women nominees are selected by their respective school.

The voting for the recipient of Woman of the Year and Young Woman of the Year are done by independent, anonymous citizens from the area.

The event's emcee will once again be Carey Moran from Pure Country 106 FM. 

The Woman of the Year award is named for the late Nelle Carter who was an inspiration to women in our area. She was president of the family business, president of the Orillia Quota Club, the first woman elected to Orillia Council as an alderman and active in St. Paul's United Church. The recipient of the award represents Nelle Carter's high standards and values.

The winners will be announced at a gala June 14 at the Best Western PLUS Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre, 400 Memorial Ave., Orillia. Tickets are $70 each and can be purchased through the OBWA website. Sales close on June 5. Doors open at 5:30 pm.

Here are the nominees for the Nelle Carter Woman of the Year:

Erin Abbott

Erin Abbott is the Manager of ODAS Park, and through the pandemic she didn’t take a moment to let it bring her down – instead she continued to outsource new business for when they were ready to re-open the doors.

When not working the long hours to keep the event centre busy, Erin is volunteering her time to ensure that events are running smoothly, and the young adults are supervised during Friday night roller-skating. 

It is through Erin’s leadership that she has created many community activities. She continues to provide the local high school students with opportunities to fill their volunteer hours through certain events such as the Fall Fair, Winter Fest and Halloween Haunt.

Madeleine Fournier

Madeleine’s hard work, tenacity, and ability to mobilize countless community members on many crucial issues has been outstanding.

She was able to use best practices from other municipalities, which demonstrated good decision-making skills, then parlayed them into actionable bite-sized pieces for the rest of us. She also understood that not everyone has the same skill sets but politely and positively pushed many of us out of our comfort zones to bring as much to the table as we could, and usually more.

During the many rallies that she organized she was able to draw a hugely diverse representation of concerned citizens from Orillia and beyond of all ages and walks of life.

Through Madeleine’s personal involvement, leadership abilities, and selfless giving of her time and talent over the past year, she has positively affected and influenced our community in so many meaningful ways and raised the profile of women. 

Madeleine’s accomplishments and achievements during 2022 have been vast and valuable! As a founding member of Stop Sprawl Orillia and Green Orillia, Madeleine has worked tirelessly to get her message out about the importance of a clean environment, a thriving sustainable community, smart housing densification as opposed to urban sprawl, and the importance of preserving wetlands. 

She is a true asset to the community and is an inspiration to all the citizens of Orillia, but especially to our youth. Madeleine Fournier is a truly remarkable young woman and has demonstrated a tireless commitment to serving our community.

Miriam Goldberger

Miriam is the founding teacher and director of What Dance Can Do, a dance-based health arts organization in Orillia. 

Through her collaboration with local, national and international partners Miriam champions the physical, mental and emotional benefits of dance for those with mobility or cognitive challenges. Collaborative partners include: Orillia Parks and Recreation, Orillia District Arts Council, Parkinson's Canada, The Alzheimer's Society of Simcoe County, Empower Simcoe, North Simcoe Strokes prevention, Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, The Falls Prevention Council and Art Your Service, virtual programming for seniors.

What Dance Can Do's classes are designed for those with mobility or cognitive challenges — with no dance experience required. Walkers, wheelchairs and seated dancers are welcome as are caregivers. These special classes are recommended by GP's, neurologists, physiotherapists and social workers. Moves, music and community are the key. 

Miriam is the president and co-founder of Wildflower Farm, a wildflower seed farm that sells wildflower seeds online throughout North America. She is the author of Taming Wildflowers, From Seed to Vase - A Celebration, Guide and Users' Manual. 

C.V.: BA Dance, Goucher College; Dance Therapy Masters degree studies, Lesley University, Haliburton School of the Arts; Founded Preggae Woman, Canada's first pre-natal/postpartum movement and support program in Toronto; Advanced Dance For Parkinson's instructor through Canada's National Ballet School. 

Montana Hassard

Montana Hassard is an extremely involved business owner and member of the Orillia community. As owner of Northern Roots Hair Studio on West Street, Montana strives to make all who enter her establishment feel welcomed, comfortable and safe. Montana has also added a barber to her establishment to encourage men to explore more services available to them. 

Montana has invited and encouraged small businesses to use her space as a way to assist them with their start up and showcase their products to the community. 

By many, Montana is considered a role model and leader of women. She is supportive to her staff and hosts team-building events, encourages open communication, and promotes a positive workspace. 

In allowing Uplifting Blessings to use the basement free of charge to receive, sort and pack essential items for those in need, when someone drops off donated items she always shows her appreciation for their generosity. Montana is also manager of two Uplifting Blessing locations. 

Montana’s community involvement is inspiring, and she often demonstrates acts of kindness whether it be toward a friend or stranger. Montana often participates and supports community fundraising efforts such as The Orillia Hike for Hospice, hosts auctions for charities and in the past has “adopted” a large family to help them have a memorable Christmas. 

Montana currently holds the position of director on the board for the Orillia Chamber of Commerce.

Kim Kneeshaw

Kim Kneeshaw has become a major force with the North Simcoe Victim Services.  When first formed in 1999, Kim joined as a volunteer and after one year, was hired as the Volunteer Coordinator and then advanced to Executive Director. Victim Services crisis responder volunteers handle crime and/or tragic circumstances including intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, suicide, sudden deaths, addictions, property crime and robbery. Kim was responsible for filling the monthly 180 volunteer shifts and coordinate the incredibly extensive training that each volunteer requires.  

Her resilience helped her conquer the pandemic challenges, finding new ways to interface with the OPP, victims, and her volunteers in ways that had never been done before. With a huge capacity for caring, she is strong and courageous and is an inspiration to many, including young volunteers.   

While continuing to volunteer with Victim Services, Kim also volunteered with the Salvation Army to ring the bells plus their food van distributing meals, clothing, and hygiene products to those in need.  Her dedication continued helping establish the warming centre, a member of Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness, the Situation Table weekly meetings for the needy in our community, various food drives, Bryden’s Walk. Kim has run three educational programs for Community Outreach. 

Kim manages to balance work with a wonderful home life with her twin grandsons and brand-new baby granddaughter. Always genuine, polite, and dedicated, Kim continues to go above and beyond for her community.  

Nancy Sutherland

Nancy is a retired Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner.  Her professional career led her to work in many settings including the emergency department (OSMH), doctor’s office, birthing and new family services (Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Nursery, Neonatal Intensive Care), Georgian College Clinical Nursing instructor and Outpost Nursing.

As Nurse Manager of Obstetrics, NICU and Pediatrics, Nancy invested into her staff the training and tools they needed to advance their skills to care for high risk pregnancies, critical neonates, premature deliveries and complicated deliveries. 

As Nancy’s nursing career began to wind down, Nancy put her action and professionalism into supporting applications for nurse practitioner-led clinics in the Orillia area. Initially, in partnership with Charlene Taylor (Executive Director/Retired Nurse) from Couchiching Jubilee House, seeking government support and later while working as a volunteer at the Lighthouse. Both these visions identified the need for health care to vulnerable persons. 

It was while volunteering at The Lighthouse that Nancy led a committee to plan for a medical clinic within the new Lighthouse facilities. A small team was created with Nancy taking a lead role.  When the clinic opened staffing, equipment and supplies were all in place as well as strong partnership with the Couchiching Ontario Health Team. The Clinical Treatment Room is now open and in the last year saw 1000 patient visits.

Nancy is a role model both to young nurses finding their way in the nursing profession and to the community in her selfless desire to bring health care to the most vulnerable

2023-05-22-young-woman-of-the-year-nominees
These three students have been nominated for the Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year award to be presented at a gala June 14. From left: Esmee Rosati, Madelaine Young and Blythe Wieclawek. Supplied Photo

Here are the nominees for the Lisa Brooking Young Woman of the Year:

Esmee Rosati

Esmee Rosati is a driven, trustworthy, mature, kind, poised and positive young woman dedicated to pursuing a future in veterinary medicine not simply as a career choice, but as vocation. 

Esmee’s approach to her academics is one of mature diligence. Esmee’s course load at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School is extremely challenging, filled with many math and science courses, all studied at the academic/university level. Esmee’s teachers have commented on her attentiveness, diligence, intellect, determination, willingness to challenge herself, initiative, leadership, responsibility, dedication to her education and passion for learning.

However, perhaps more important than the impressive grades and accolades is her character. She is a person of integrity and compassion. She is passionate about exploring the interconnectedness between environmental issues and animal health.

To dedicate such time and energy to the betterment of creation proves a concern for not only the current generation, but future ones. Esmee is passionate about helping others and she has the insight and maturity to know how to make these goals a reality- using her gifts to work for causes that support the common good and uplift others around her.

There is absolutely no doubt that as she moves on to pursue her post-secondary education in Animal Biology at the University of Guelph, Esmee will be a driving force not only on her campus, but continue to work for a better world; for the welfare of today and future generations.

“I have always used goal-setting to keep moving forward and reach my full potential.” 

Blythe Wieclawek

Blythe Wieclawek is a student at Twin Lakes Secondary School and is preparing to graduate at the top of her class with the highest grades for her year in multiple subjects such as Chemistry, History and French. While participating in the gifted cluster classes, she also participated in the Extended French program and has completed the test for DELF, obtaining her certification of bilingualism. 

Outside of the classroom, Blythe has dedicated over 400 hours to various volunteer groups in the community. Blythe’s passion though has been with Sustainable Orillia Youth Council, which she was president for two years. It is through the Youth Council that she was able to grow and lead this group of inspired students from all three high schools in Orillia through multiple initiatives and change-making projects that have made Orillia and Simcoe County more sustainable.

Away from school and volunteer work, Blythe is passionate about competitive swimming. She has been a member of the Orillia Channel Cats Swim Club for a decade. She qualified for Olympic trials at age 14 and has competed provincially and nationally and this year had the opportunity to participate in the FINA Swimming World Cup.

With Blythe’s love of science and swimming, she plans to attend Harvard University in the fall and represent them within the American National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) next year. 

“I also have a long-term goal to be accepted to medical school and eventually specialize in either anesthesiology, family medicine or cardiology.”

Madelaine Young

Madelaine Young's goal is to become a sports engineer and to achieve her Masters in that field. From what she has accomplished so far there is no doubt she will succeed!

Her academic excellence at Orillia Secondary School includes being on the honour roll every year with an astounding 98% in Grade 11 Environmental Science. In her varied sports activities Madelaine competed at the national level in Nordic skiing and at the provincial level in basketball. She also played a variety of other school sports and was always willing to try some new ones with a positive spirit and a healthy and helpful attitude.

Madelaine was also a member of many very diversified clubs within the school but also in her community with some of them being a way to improve her own life skills. In her community, she volunteers with many different groups including those involving veterans and seniors. She is always wanting to help increase positivity and decrease loneliness in the lives of others. She has a very empathetic and caring nature. 

From scholastics to athletics, Madelaine is a true high achiever and she has given back to others in many ways. She challenges herself academically with an upbeat and positive attitude. She takes action in community initiatives to help others.

Madelaine wants to make a difference in the world of sports and there is no doubt she will achieve her goals while improving the lives of those around her.

 


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